They have praised the move as a bold step which will help the region become a permanent powerbroker in European rugby and will also enrich the player talent base across Welsh rugby.
The Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union, Roger Lewis, said: “We know Andrew has the vision, energy and talent to deliver for the Ospreys.
“Andrew Hore’s professional history with the Welsh Rugby Union and with the New Zealand Rugby Union proves he understands that we all need to work together to build our talent base and deliver the best players to our regions and on to our national teams.
“With Warren Gatland already on board for Wales this move by the Ospreys sends out a positive message to everyone about what is happening in Welsh rugby.
“Clearly this is the nation where ambitious and talented players and coaches want to come to work with the best and develop their own skills.
“I want to congratulate the executives at the Ospreys who have taken this imaginative and important step which is proof of their commitment to building the Ospreys brand. That is good news for the Ospreys fans and good news for Wales.
“This is a new post in the region and recognises the need for us all to embrace the very latest techniques and systems to ensure we nurture and develop our players to achieve the best they can.
“The Ospreys management informed us of this appointment in advance of the announcement and we are grateful for their cooperation.
“The concept of an Elite Performance Director is one that the WRU has championed and we are delighted the value of this role is being fully recognised.
“We spoke at length with Andrew about the possibility of him joining the WRU but it didn’t work out, for all the right reasons. That’s why we are so delighted he is still coming to Wales to work with one of our finest regions.”
